1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an interface for a system and method for evaluating the effectiveness of a person to perform a task based on his/her preceding or predicted sleep pattern. More particularly, the present invention relates to an interface for a system and method for evaluating task effectiveness that allows the user to use actual sleep data or predicted sleep data to produce predictions of the task effectiveness of a person to perform a particular task.
2. Background of the Invention
Numerous studies have been conducted relating to the analysis of sleep, alertness, and performance. One study is by Jewett and Kronauer, entitled “Interactive Mathematical Models of Subjective Alertness and Cognitive Throughput in Humans,” J. Biological Rhythms, 1999; 14(6): pages 588–597. The Jewett and Kronauer model (JK model hereafter) uses arbitrary units and then scales the result from 1 to 0 to fit the actual data, scaled from maximum to minimum. Consequently, the JK model does not make an independent prediction of performance without knowing the range of the results.
Prior studies and patents do not provide an easy-to-use interface for a system of evaluating the effectiveness of a person to perform a specific task based on his or her previous sleep pattern. The prior studies and patents are directed to general concepts and do not provide an individual with an easy-to-use interface or system in which actual historic data or predicted future data can be input, and adjustments to future sleep patterns can be made to control the effectiveness of a person to perform a task. In addition, the prior studies and patents are not designed to utilize both actual sleep data or predicted sleep data to predict future changes in task effectiveness based upon the actual or predicted pattern of sleep and activity taking into account many complex factors that contribute to the sleep experience.